The present invention relates to processes for obtaining apple wax, apple wax obtained by these processes and cosmetic compositions containing apple wax.
Waxes may perform a variety of functions in cosmetic compositions. For example, they can be used by themselves to cover the skin or as a fatty component in emulsions for improving the viscosity and stability of the cosmetic composition. In cosmetic compositions for the skin, waxes can be used to return oils to the skin and make it repellant to water and in cosmetic compositions for hair they can condition and groom the hair.
Based on production methods, waxes can be classified as natural, chemically modified natural, and synthetic. The important waxes for cosmetics include mineral waxes and certain natural waxes from animal or vegetable sources.
Natural and chemically modified natural mineral waxes come from nonrenewable raw material sources or are produced from raw materials generated from these sources. Synthetic mineral waxes are often loaded with impurities conditioned by synthesis.
The disadvantages of mineral waxes mentioned above can be avoided by using natural or chemically modified natural waxes of animal or vegetable origin which also satisfy the demand of growing numbers of consumers for the use of natural, ecologically unobjectionable, i.e. renewable, raw materials.
The most well-known animal wax is beeswax. However, the availability of beeswax as a byproduct of bees is limited. Also, beeswax contains high proportions of esters which can negatively influence the stability of cosmetic compositions containing beeswax.
The commercial vegetable waxes most frequently used in cosmetic compositions at this time are candelilla wax and carnauba wax. However, these waxes are hard and brittle, have a high melting point and are difficult to emulsify in conventional cosmetic compositions.
Candelilla wax and carnauba wax are obtained from the surface of tropical palm leaves whose wax layer is particularly thick, since the plant requires greater protection against loss of water in hot tropical climates than plants indigenous to temperate zones. Because of the comparatively small amount of surface wax of plants growing in temperate climates, the isolation of the surface wax of indigenous plants appears uneconomical, although these plants are available in abundant quantities.